Surface cleaning device employing liquid cleaning agent



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H. GOLDSMITH Filed March l, 1945 V. SURFACE CLEANING DEVICE EMPLOYING LIQUID CLEANING AGENT May 2, 1950 Patented May 2, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SURFACE CLEANING DEVICE EMPLOYING LIQUID CLEANING AGENT 4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved cleaning device, and more particularly to a cleaning device provided with means for the even distribution of a cleaning liquid upon the surface to be cleaned and the removal of the liquid during or at the completion of the cleaning operation.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device oi the character' described, which may be connected to a source oi cleaning liquid and is constructed in such a manner that the liquid will be evenly distributed by the device upon the surface to be cleaned.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device of the character described, which may be connected to a source of suction and is constructed in such a manner that a liquid can be removed by the force of suction from the surface being cleaned, either during or at the completion of the cleaningoperation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a cleaning device of the character described, provided with a swivelly mounted handle designed to assist in reaching inaccessible places.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device of the character described which is designed to permit the instantaneous application and removal of the wear pad which remains in contact with the surface which is to lbe cleaned during the cleaning operation.

With these and other objects in View, which will be apparent from the subsequent description, the present invention resides in providing a cleaning device Iwhich can be attached to a source of cleaning liquid, such as water, and a source of suction. This construction is highly advantageous because it enables an operator to apply a liquid to the surface to be cleaned and to remove the liquid from the surface during or after the cleaning operation, without interfering with the cleaning operation.

The cleaning device comprises a head attached to a, handle by means of which it is connected to a source of cleaning liquid and the source of suction. The head should be shaped to conform to the type of surface to loe cleaned, and may be of any desirable form to reach inaccessible places.

It is provided with a perforated partition which supports a porous cushion which is positioned between it and a porous Wear pad. The liquid is evenly distributed through these perforations and porous pads upon the surface to be cleaned and the operation can be reversed by the force of suction. The wear pad may be readily detached from the head to allord economical replacement, and is made of e, porous material such as sponge rubber. It aiiords a most eicient means of effecting a completely dry surface after the washing operation has been completed.

The handle is swivelly mounted upon the head to assist the operator in reaching the inaccessible places. If desired, the handle can be removed from the head for shipment, storage, or other purposes. The handle may be either stra-ight or curved, depending upon the type of cleaning operation for which it is especially suited and is preferably provided with means, to control the flow of cleaning liquid and the application of suction, which are readily accessible to the operator.

The drawings disclose a single form of the cleaning device which may be used to effect the objects of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the cleaning device.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the cleaning device.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, in section, of the head and a portion of the handle of the device shown in Figures l and 2.

As shown in the drawings, the cleaning device-comprises a, head I operatively connected to a tubular handle 2 by means of a cylindrical member 3, the reduced lower portion of which snugly rits a flanged aperture in the dome of the head I. The tubular handle 2 is provided with a grip 4.

A pipe 5 is Concentrically positioned within the tubular portion of the handle 2 and is connected to a source of cleaning liquid, such as water, by means of a valve fitting S and a conduit l.

The tubular portion of the handle 2 is connected to a source of suction by means of the fitting and a conduit 9. A control switch I0 is mounted on the handle 2, adjacent the grip 4 and is connected by a wire l I to the power unit which operates the suction pump.

Concentrically positioned within the cylindrical member 3 is a socket I2 which is connected thereto by the perforated web member i3. The socket l2 is adapted to receive the lower extremity of the pipe 5, and is provided with a discharge duct I4 which connects the pipe 5 to the upper compartment I5 of the head I. The perforations in the web member I3 also serve as communicating channels between the tubular portion of the handle 2 and this upper compartment I5.

As best shown in Figure 3, the lower portion of the handle 2 is provided with an annular flange I6 secured by screws I'I. The handle 2 may be swivelly mounted on the member 3 by insertion of the annular flange I6 into the annular groove I8. The handle 2 is also provided with a shot pin I9, carried by a spring member 2D which is mountedl on the exterior surface o f the handle 2./ Swivelin'g ofjthe! handle 2 may be prevented by insertionv ofthe shot pin I9 in one ci a plurality of sockets 2|, circumferentially arranged in the member 3.

compartment I5. cured to the bottom of the head I by means of a retaining ring Zl, which may be inV the forni of a spring, rod, or strap of suitable design. rPhe retaining ring is designed to permit instantaneous removal of the wear pad.

A porous cushion 25 is positioned between the partition 22: and the wear pad 23.1 'it is held in place by the llangedextrernity 2&3v of lthe' head l.

The' wear pad-:2:3V and cushion 2b may be of any sutabieporousmaterial which will evenly distribute the cleaning` liquid uponY the surface which is tobe cleaned, andthrough which the liquid can be withdrawn by, thegrforce'oi suction. Preferably ap'orous material such-V as sponged rubber is employed. Y Y At thevcoinmencernent ofthe cleaning operation the valve 6 is opened to` admitV liquid under pressure tothe pipe a from which itpasses through the discharge doc tid` into', theccinpartment I5; The liquidthen ilows through the perforations in therpartitionr and t-h'e porouspads 23 and 25 bymeans of Ywhich itis-evenly distributed on the surface to be cleaned. When a sumcientv quantity ha sbeen discharged the valve 6 is closed. After a given portion of thecleaning operation has been completedor the liquidis no longer suitable for use, suction is createdlby closing the switch lb and theliquid is withdrawn from the working surface through the poresyof the pads ZVS-and 25 andthe perforationsxin the partition 2,2. The'liquid'then passes through the channels in the web bland the tubular portion of the pipe 2 to the conduitd throughwh'ich it is discharged. vThis operation,.mayhberepeated as many times as is necessary tocomplete-the cleaning operau tion without,k requiring the operator to discontinue the cleaning operation. In the eventthat an inaccessible pl'acelstobe cleaned, thehandle Zimayube swiveled Von ther member 3 to amore convenient position by withdravvirigtheshot pin I from `the socket 2l in which itis `posit'icu'cied and inserting it in a :more suitable scket.

From the foregoing', it y.will be appreciated thatY the described cleaningA device'.A combines several individual steps of the cleaning operation, such as the application ofiiqu'id to tlie cleaning surface and its removal after the scrubbing operation. Moreover, the liquid is more evenlydistributed and more rapidly removed ,by this device than.

in the familiar hand operation. While, in de scribing thisdevice reieencehas been inadeto particularinaterial, apparatusand conditions it should be understood that theinvention is not speciiically limitedrthereto', but may be varied to include equivalent` material,y apparatusand conditions.

I claim: v.

l. A cleaning device comprising a hollow head,

a tubular member in communication therewith,-

a tubular handle incuirltf'gdV orthe said'member, means to attach the handle toa source of'suction, a pipe positioned within the handle, means'- to attach the pipe to a source of liquid supply, a socket concentrically positioned in the said tubular member and attached thereto by a perforated web, said socket adapted to receive the lower extremity of the pipe, a discharge duct in said socket, said duct and web perforations communicating with the upper portion of the head, a laterally extending perforated partition in the head; a* D iOisw'ear pad attachedY `to the lower portion of the" head and" closing thehead to form a chamber, a porous cushion positioned between the Wear pad and perforated partition, means to control the; introduction of fluid to the cham- .berf through said pipe and to pass such iiuid throughI the permeable wear pad onto thesurface`l tol lbe cleaned, and other means to control .the1suction .applied within the tubular handle and head to remove the fluid from the surface through said pad and. the chamber into the handle. A

2; fr cleaning device comprising a hollw head, a. cylindrical f member! motmtedo'nthe topv thereof, a tubularl handle swivellyA mountedV on the said` member; means-to attachthe handle' toar source of suction, a pipe' positioned within the handle, means to4V attachtlre pipe to a source of liquid supply, a socket concentrically positioned in the said cylindricalmen'iiloery and attached thereto by a perforated web; said socket being adapted to receive the lower. extremity of the pipe; a discharge duct inE said socket in coin: municatioh with the pipe, saidduct andV web perforatins conlinunicatingwithy the upper por; tion of the head, a` perforated plate extending across: the headnear. the base thereof, ya porous tvear pad attached' to' they lower pcrtiono-f. the head andclosing the" head tonforifn a chamber, anda porous* cushion position'edbetween the wear pad and perfcrated"partition; meansto control the introduction of iiuid to the chamber. through said pipe and to pass such iiuid through the-per# meable wearp'ad on'to the` surface-to be cleaned, and other means.tolpcon-trol-theIsuction applied withinthe tubular handle and head to remove the fluid fromthe surface'throughsaid pad and the chamber into the handle;

3'. A cleaningde'vi'ce comprsing/a'hollowhead, a cylindrical mernberfrnounted on the tcp thereof, axtubular handle swivellytmountedon the said member; means vto attach-the' handle toascurce of suction, a switchmounted upon the: handle to control thev application of'suction, apipe positioned witl'iirrthev handle; meansxto, attach the Y pipe to' av source ofpliquidsupplm a valvemounty ed onthehandle to controlthe iiowy of liquid;

asocket concentrically positioned: in the said cylindrical member andl attached thereto by a perforated web, s'aiclsocket bein-g adapted to re-` ceive the lower extremity of lthe pipe, a discharge duct in s'air'lsockety in communication with said pipe, said duct andlweb perforatio-nsfcon'imirni-v eating with the upper portion` ofthe head, a perforated'partition extending across the head nearthe base-thereof, a porous wear pad attached tothe lovvrv portionof the" head Yand closing thehead to; form a chamber, and a porous cushion positioned between theV wear pad and perforated partition.-

LMA cleaning device comprisinga hollow head const-itutingV a chamber, ar permeable pad attached toV the head and' forniingl a` permeable outer Wall'l ofthej'cha-inbcr, ak perforated transverse rigid-partition thchamber parallel to saidwal1, .afesili-en't' cushion disposed 'between'v th vv'alland partition; tlblll'r'hadl having 5 a connection with the head and communicating REFERENCES CITED mth Sad chamber' a plpe carried 'by the handle The following references are of record in the and also communicating with said chamber. f tht means to connect the tubular handle and pipe e o 1s pa" ent' respectively to a source of suction and a source 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS of cleaning fluid supply, means to control intro- Number Name Date duction of the fluid through said pipe into the 695,162 Lotz Mar. 11. 1902 chamber and thence through said permeable wan 1,332,040 Staneld n Mar, 2, 1920 onto a surface to ybe cleaned, and other means 1,575,939 Satterwhite et al, Mm.. 9, 1926 t0 Control application of suction in said handle 10 1,004,240 Welsh May 5, 1931 and chamber to remove the fluid from said sur- 1,982,345 Kirby NOV. 2,7, 1934 face through said wall, chamber and handle. 2,243,935 Williamson June 3, 1941 VERNON H. GOLDSMITH. 

